CHENNAI: Exasperated by what students claim are the lack of basic amenities on Chepauk campus of the University of Madras, over 300 students and professors from several departments gheraoed the Vice-Chancellor R Thandavan at his office inside the Centenary Building on Tuesday.
Protesters speaking to Express, said they wanted the authorities to address some basic but grave issues like lack of drinking water and poor sanitation facilities in ladies’ toilets.
Other demands that were raised during the three-hour protest included preservation of traditional books at the university library, better Internet facilities with WiFi connectivity and even permission to conduct university elections in order to address students’ grievances through representatives.
“Students have to bring drinking water when they come to the college. Even sanitation facilities at the toilets are pathetic,” said Mahendiran Varman, an alumnus of the university and a member representing the Students’Youth Social Movement.
S Meenakshi, a final year student of MA (English Literature), added that there were no student representatives in the college to address issues like these. “We want somebody who can take students’ issues to the authorities. That’s why we want elections,” she said.
Some irate students tried entering the V-C’s room, even as management struggled to pacify them. Students and a few professors - including members of unions like SFI and Students Youth Social Movement - sat on the ground outside Thandavan’s office raising slogans. Some had the demands charted out on a piece of paper, which they held aloft.
The professors who were part of the protest speaking to Express said the issues had been raised on many occasions before.
“Letters have been sent to the vice-chancellor before this. There’s no water for washing hands. I go to the toilet to wash my hands after eating lunch in my room,” said Professor Ramu Manivannan, head, Department of Politics and Public Administration. He added: “There is an amount allocated in the budget for a Reverse Osmosis plant. But there is no plant. There is corruption deep rooted within.”
Professor Abdul Rahman, a faculty at the Department of Islamic Studies, went a step ahead saying that the students were forced to live in “sub-human” conditions in the hostel. “More and more departments have come up over the years but the infrastructure has remained the same,” he added.
V-C R Thandavan, who finally spoke to the students, urging them to end the protest and promised that the issues would be addressed within a month. He assured the students that around 10 water cans would be supplied to “each department” from the very next day and that he would also consider the students’ demand to organise elections.
“All issues will be addressed,” he said, finally bringing some respite to the protestors.
Professor Manivannan told Express that they would continue to protest till all the issues were addressed.
“You don’t need one month’s time to solve all these issues. We will protest again in case the Vice-Chancellor does not keep his promise of delivering 10 water cans to each department,” he said.